1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a joint connector for joining a plurality of wires, for example, of a wire harness in an automobile together, and also relates to a method of forming a joint circuit in the joint connector.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-8980, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 4 and 5 show a joint connector disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho. 63-308884. This joint connector (branch connector) 1 comprises a connector housing 2 made of a synthetic resin, and a plurality of press-connecting joint terminals 3. The connector housing 2 has a plurality of wire receiving chambers 2a, serving also as terminal receiving chambers, and a plurality of rectangular openings 2b are formed respectively in those portions of the connector housing 2 opposed respectively to those portions of wires 4 (received respectively in the wire receiving chambers 2a) to be joined together. The plurality of press-connecting joint terminals 3 are inserted into the respective openings 2b so that each joint terminal 3 can join a predetermined number of the associated wires 4, received in the respective wire receiving chambers 2a, together. The plurality of press-connecting joint terminals 3 are prepared in the form of a chain having a plurality of pairs of press-connecting blades 3c and 3c which are formed on a base portion 3a, and are spaced from one another by slits 3b, and by severing the base portion 3a at the slits 3b, a terminal chain, having a desired number (two, three or other number) of press-connecting joint terminals 3, can be formed.
Male crimp-type terminals 5, connected respectively to front ends of the wires 4, are inserted respectively into the wire receiving chambers 2a in the connector housing 2, and then the chain of press-connecting joint terminals 3 are inserted respectively into the openings 2b formed through each of the upper and lower walls of the connector housing 2, and the pairs of press-connecting blades 3c and 3c of the chain of press-connecting joint terminals 3 are press-connected respectively to the front end portions of the wires 4, so that a predetermined joint circuit is formed.
A technique, analogous to this joint connector, is disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 9-22745.
In the above joint connector 1, however, chains of press-connecting joint terminals 3, corresponding to a desired joint circuit pattern, must be beforehand prepared by severing a long terminal chain, and therefore the stock control for the parts before the assembling of the joint connector 1 has been troublesome, so that the cost of the parts has been increased. And besides, after the crimp-type terminals 5 are inserted respectively into the wire receiving chambers 2a, the chain of press-connecting joint terminals 3 are inserted respectively into the openings 2b, and are press-connected respectively to the wires 4, and therefore much time and labor have been required for the assembling operation.